FReeper Canteen~Tribute To Firefighters~August 3, 2006

The Canteen Crew

[AZamericonnie]

 

The Canteen Pays Tribute To



The badge of a fireman is the Maltese Cross. This Maltese Cross is a symbol of protection and a badge of honor. Its story is hundreds of years old.



The Maltese Cross is your symbol of protection. It means that the fireman who wears this cross is willing to lay down his life for you. The Maltese Cross is a fireman's badge of honor, signifying that he works in courage - a ladder rung away from death.



Today, fire and rescue remains a mix of paid, call, and volunteer responders. While urban areas such as New York, NY and Boston, MA are typically served by large, well-coordinated paid responders, there is no requirement demanding either paid, call, or career firefighters and many departments are so-called "mixed" departments - full time responders handle the day-to-day needs of a department and work with either call or volunteer responders when more manpower is needed. Other departments are completely "call" or volunteer, depending on local tradition, needs, and, most importantly, financial ability.



In popular literature, firefighters are usually depicted with Dalmatian dogs. This breed originated in southern Europe to assist with herding livestock and run along with horses, and in the days of horse-drawn fire vehicles, the horses were usually released on arrival at the fire and the Dalmatians would lead the horses to a safe place to wait until the fire was out. Dalmatians also filled the role of protecting the horses' feet from other dogs as equipment was being transported to the fire scene. In reality, most fire dogs were mutts pulled from the street.




Bucket Carriage used by Continental Bucket Co.No.1, of Jamaica, Long Island NY. Iron stanchion in center of machine bears metal plate, “Jamaica 1787-1907”. Four-wheeled carriage equipped to carry 50 buckets to use in places where there were no hydrants.



Glass Fire Grenades ranging from ½ pint to 2 quarts in size, filled with water or saltwater. These provided an effective means of quelling a small fire from 1868 to 1903. In later years they were filled with carbon tetrachloride and used to the mid 1960’s.






Click Here to see some of Austin's finest at work!






Now there's a handsome firefighting family!

“If Prometheus was worthy of the wrath of heaven for kindling the first fire upon earth, how ought all the gods honor the men who make it their professional business to put it out?” -- John Godfrey Saxe, (American journalist, poet, and lecturer) circa 1850



Click here to see some of Ft. Worths Finest in action!




The Fire Bike was a motorcycle built by Orange County Choppers on the American reality television show American Chopper. It was put together by everyone at the OCC, the project holding more emotional weight with its ties to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Click here for more information




10/13/2005 - SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq -- Firefighters assigned to the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron render a final salute in memory of Sgt. Brian E. Dunlap, an active firefighter and a member of U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, who was killed in action Sept. 24 in Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Randy Mitchell)
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The Firefighters Memorial Fountain at dusk. The memorial, at 31st Street and Broadway in Kansas City, was created to honor those killed in the line of duty.




Keeping up the fight - Phoenix firefighters battle a three-alarm fire at Bowen Poles in northwest Phoenix (Pinnacle Peak and I-17) Feb. 4. No one was injured in the fire.





Click here for recipies



RAPID RESPONSE
Years ago, when I was working on a small town ambulance, it was not uncommon for my wife and me to stop at the local grocer to buy food for dinner after a call. I had gone in to get a head of lettuce and some apples. Unknown to me the floor was wet from the newly installed produce sprayers. Down I went, hitting my head hard. When I came to, the manager of the store was sitting beside me telling me not to move, that he had called 911. At the same time my pager went off and he looked at me and asked, “What was that? I said "My pager, I am 911." He looked at me, shocked " Boy, you guys are fast!"

More jokes here...


Fireman History Quiz



















A heartfelt thank you from the Canteen to all Firefighters & your families for your service & sacrifice!

[Kathy in Alaska]

RIP Chief Pierce

Amazing Grace

[GrandEagle]

Speaking of eating cheap
When I got out of the AF, I decided that maybe an education was the way to go.
Well, a couple of years into it the first Mrs. GE thought she had found a better deal and left. Thinking my life was over anyway, and somebody ought to come out of the thing happy, I gave here everything and took all the bills. By the time I figured out that that was a stupid thing to do it was too late.
Anyway, money was in really short supply. I cooked hot dogs using an extension cord with the end cut off. You just strip the insulation back a bit, stick a wire in each end, plug it in (keeping your fingers away from it of course), and when it starts to sizzle unplug it. There is dinner! Tasted a bit like ozone from time to time, and would give SOS a run for the money, but it did kill hunger.
Lived just about a year on that and instant grits.

AHH the good ole' days? - I think not!

GE

[Kathy in Alaska]

Letting the sore muscles relax sounds like a good "job" for a curmudgeon. ((HUGS))

[Kathy in Alaska]

wh!!

Thanks for the real Sparky's picture!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Now that you are in the sandbox, do you have to do any running?

[blackie]

Thanks Connie ~ they're fine, it's just an excuse to do nothing today. ;);)

[blackie]

A perfect job. ;)

{{HUGS}}

[tomkow6]

MINE!

[tomkow6]

MINE!

[tomkow6]

mine!!!!

[GrandEagle]

You are a sneaky devil today aren't you?

Virtual HI-FIVE!

[GrandEagle]

You are a sneaky devil today aren't you?

Virtual HI-FIVE!

[GrandEagle]

Sorry.... The dreaded "double post"

[tomkow6]

It's a NASTY job, but SOMEBODY'S gotta do it!

[GrandEagle]

LOL!
Headed home for the day.
Have a great evening!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Mayor, for today's sustenance for body and soul. Did the Mayor's do something special for Mrs Mayor's birthday?

[tomkow6]

Good evening, DEAR Sis!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome, jaz, and thanks for helping honor the families of our fallen firefighters.

[AZamericonnie]

An extension cord???? Now that's clever! lol

The good ol' days indeed....the things I could make back then with instant potatoes & brunswieger! Makes my stomach churn now....:)

[AZamericonnie]

Thank you citizensgratitude. We hope we never need their services but it's sure a comfort to know there are those willing to be there if we should!